Lionel Messi's Argentina has earned a spot in the 2026 World Cup final — taking on Spain today in New York — by building a campaign defined by its ability to overturn matches in the dying minutes. Wednesday's 2-1 semifinal victory over England, in which the defending champions trailed 1-0 until late, is just the latest chapter in a long series of comebacks that have characterized this tournament for the Albiceleste.
The script has repeated itself with remarkable consistency. In the round of 16, Argentina was down 2-0 against Egypt when Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute, Messi equalized in the 83rd, and Enzo Fernández scored the winner in the 92nd. In the quarterfinals against Cape Verde, Lisandro Martínez equalized in the 92nd minute and an own goal forced by a Messi cross in the 111th minute delivered a 3-2 extra-time victory.
In the group stage, Messi had already made his mark in the closing moments: a stoppage-time goal in the 95th minute to seal a 2-0 win over Austria, and a clinical free kick in the 80th minute for the 3-1 clincher against Jordan.
